FAQ's

All your questions about sat nav and GPS speed camera location systems answered

Questions

Do sat nav units have voice prompts and alerts?
How long does the battery last on a sat nav system?
Do I have to put the maps on to the device myself?
What accessories are included?
How up to date are the maps?
How often are map updates made available for sat nav systems?
Do all sat nav systems detect speed cameras and how often are they updated?
What mapping is available for sat navs?
Do sat nav systems with camera detection, detect laser?
Is there a subscription fee for downloading the speed camera database?
Are sat nav and speed camera detectors easy to install and are they transferable from vehicle to vehicle?
Where do they power from?
Are speed camera detectors legal?

Answers

Do sat nav units have voice prompts and alerts?

All sat nav systems now have voice alerts and prompts as well as on screen instructions to direct you to your destination.

How long does the battery last on a sat nav system?

The battery on most sat nav systems normally lasts around 3-4 hrs during normal use.

Do I have to put the maps on to the device myself?

No, the maps are normally preloaded on to the device itself or on to a small SD card that comes with the unit.

What accessories are included?

All units come with a suction cup bracket to mount the unit to the windscreen and a power cable to connect it to your vehicles cigarette lighter socket. There is also normally a USB cable to enable you to connect it to a PC to update it and most sat nav systems will come with a carry case to protect it when not in use.

How up to date are the maps?

We ensure that whatever unit you buy it has the latest map version available so that you are not faced with the prospect of having to update it shortly after making your purchase.

How often are map updates made available for sat nav systems?

Most sat nav manufacturers offer new maps once every 3 months, but there is normally a cost of around £100 each time. As the road network does not change that frequently we only recommend that you update your maps once a year. Some manufacturers offer free annual map updates when you subscribe to their speed camera location database.

Do all sat nav systems detect speed cameras and how often are they updated?

Most sat nav systems will now offer some kind of speed camera detection although the quality of this function can be very different. Many systems will allow you to download free speed camera databases, but these can be very inaccurate and only offer basic information.

What mapping is available for sat navs?

Sat nav manufactures normally offer the choice of purchasing a unit with only the UK & Ireland or all of Western Europe. The countries normally included on a Western European SD card are the UK, Ireland, France, Spain, Portugal, Italy, Belgium, Holland, Luxembourg, Austria, Switzerland, Germany, Denmark, Norway, Sweden and Finland.

Do sat nav systems with camera detection, detect laser?

Sat nav systems do NOT have the ability to detect laser, but the better systems will include many mobile sites within the data they supply. These sites will be where the Police often user mobile laser guns or vans and although there may not always be a laser trap at this point the alert informs you that there is a high risk that one could be there.

Is there a subscription fee for downloading the speed camera database?

Some sat nav systems offer free camera databases and updates, but the content of these databases is not as accurate. The data provided is not professionally managed or verified. This means that it will not be accurate and will miss some cameras, it will also mean that it is not updated on a regular basis.

Companies such as Snooper and Road Angel do charge for their camera updates, but their databases are far more comprehensive, include mobile sites as well as fixed sites and are updated daily to ensure they are always up to date. They may be more expensive but if you really value your license they are worth every penny. See the individual product pages for further details.

Are sat nav and speed camera detectors easy to install and are they transferable from vehicle to vehicle?

All the sat nav and speed camera detectors we sell are very simple to fit. They come with a windscreen bracket to attach the unit to the inside of the screen and normally power or charge from the cigarette lighter socket. Snooper sat nav products can also be mounted on car specific air vent and consol brackets if you would prefer a more ‘professional’ installation. Even when mounted in this way though they can still be removed from your vehicle and transferred easily if necessary.

Both sat nav and speed camera detectors are completely portable and can be easily transferred between vehicles.

Where do they power from?

Speed camera detectors and sat nav systems will power straight from the cigarette lighter socket or can be wired directly to the car’s electrical system if you don’t want to have them plugged in. Most sat navs have an in-built rechargeable battery so do not need to be connected to the vehicle at all, although they can be charged from the cigarette lighter socket when necessary.

Are speed camera detectors legal?

The Road Safety Bill is currently being processed and this intends to ban the sale of radar detectors from around the middle of 2008. Products using GPS to locate the position of speed camera detectors such as Snooper Sapphire and all Sat Nav systems that can alert you to speed cameras will remain perfectly legal.